Preserved Boxwood Wreath Tutorial and Other Thrift Store Crafts

 Savvy shopping.  It’s a family tradition . . . passed down from mother to daughter.  My mother never learned to drive but when I got my license you’d better believe she made sure I got a lot of practice . . . and the best way to practice was to drive to shopping destinations all over the greater Seattle area.  One of her favorite places was the gigantic Goodwill Store in downtown Seattle!  It is the biggest thrift store I’ve ever been to and it is amazing!

I don’t know if you know this Savvy Shopping Tip, but thrift stores are the BEST places to shop for seasonal decor . . . and right now they have their Seasonal displays right up front for your shopping pleasure!  Ceramic eggs that have lost their cool?  No problem . . .

Cover the egg with sheet moss and a bunny graphic and it will be cuter than ever. 

Empty plastic eggs from Easter’s past? 

They will be beautiful displayed in a basket once they’ve been decoupaged with Spring napkins.

A plain old basket with no pizzaz?

Moss it!!! To see the complete tutorials for these adorable projects, click on the links HERE, HERE and HERE.

All that leads me to the main subject of this post, how to make a Preserved Boxwood Wreath.  My boxwood wreath began it’s life as a grapevine wreath adorned with silk flowers that were well past their prime!  Thrift stores and garage sales are a great source for inexpensive wreaths in need of a makeover.  You only have to look beyond the surface and imagine . . . what . . . might . . .  be . . . 

Of course that is the main theme of Old Things New!

Grapevine wreaths are great to work because they are woven together loosely enough that it’s easy to tuck boxwood stems (even silk flowers . . . pretty ones) between the gaps, and their tight woody branches hold your stems in place as you work.

I tucked my individual boxwood pieces into the wreath with each stem going in the same direction.

Then I added green florist’s wire, wrapping it around the wreath several times to hold everything securely in place and to tame unruly branches.  I was careful to hide the wire under branches on the front side of the wreath.

If you prefer a “well-groomed” look to your boxwood you can achieve that by doing a little trimming with pruning shears.  I chose to leave my boxwood just a little bit wild!

For more boxwood ideas you can link back to my Decorating With Preserved Boxwood post HERE.  There you’ll also find the link to where I purchased my preserved boxwood in bulk (the thriftiest way to go by the way).

I don’t want to forget to remind you that Farragoz, the online painting course shown on my sidebar has a LIMITED TIME OFFER for my readers only going through the end of March.  The course, normally offered at $150 is being offered for $99.  This is a great value for this amazing online painting course and the only way to link up to the special offer is to click on the link below.  To read more about the course you can link back to my full post HERE.

I know it’s been a pretty harsh winter for many and I hope it’s beginning to feel more Springlike where you live.  Doing a Spring project sure helps to make it feel like it is a bit closer.  If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to Pin It or Tweet It!

Blessings to you my friends,